Victoria Coren Mitchell keeps her poker face to net £400,000

TV presenter Victoria Coren Mitchell has become the first two-time champion of the European Poker Tour.

The journalist, who is married to comedian David Mitchell, asked ‘how is this happening?’ as she fought her way up the rankings from eighth place during the closing stages of the tournament in Sanremo, Italy.

She tweeted afterwards: ‘I bloody WON!!!!!! Sorry for that language on Easter Sunday. But I WON!!!!!! That is at least partly thanks to the amazing support, God bless everyone xxxxxxx.’

The 41-year-old, who hosts BBC4 quiz show Only Connect, beat American Jordan Westmorland and Italian Giacomo Fundaro on her way to the title and a £400,000 prize. She became the first woman to win the event when it came to London in 2006.

The Oxford graduate, daughter of the late broadcaster Alan Coren, said as she received her prize: ‘The minute I won 8,000 euros it was a good trip.

‘But tens of thousands of people on Twitter got behind me. I thought I’d be happy with sixth but also thought they’d be disappointed.’

Mitchell, 39, who said he had given his wife encouragement throughout, added: ‘I thought perhaps I should have been saying, “You must be first!” Not, “Eighth seems great”.’